A ‘Brexit’ Battle on the Thames Between Nigel Farage and Bob Geldof

Like so many decisive moments in British history, the question of whether to leave the European Union devolved on Wednesday into a naval confrontation.

Only this time the brawling was on the Thames, the cannons shot only water, and the blare of trumpets came from an enormous speaker system aboard a pleasure cruiser blasting the song “The ‘In’ Crowd.”

This was London, a week before one of the most critical political decisions in a generation.

In what has been dubbed the Battle of the Thames, a flotilla of Scottish fishermen, led by the United Kingdom Independent Party leader, Nigel Farage, and agitating for Britain to leave the European Union, was met by an armada of dinghies and pleasure cruisers in support of remaining in the bloc.

Leading the group opposed to a British exit, or “Brexit,” the man blasting the music was Bob Geldof, the Irish impresario and activist.

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Bob Geldof, an Irish impresario and activist, led a counterdemonstration on the Thames on Wednesday, arguing that Britain should remain in the European Union.CreditStefan Wermuth/Reuters

The scene floated past some of London’s most iconic sites, including Tower Bridge and the Palace of Westminster, where Parliament was debating the issue. As the boats circled one another, members on both sides took turns trading barbs on Twitter, yelling over microphones, and in one case blasting a ship with a water hose.

“Here are the facts about fishing,” Mr. Geldof said from his vessel, rigged with an enormous set of speakers intended to drown out Mr. Farage’s protest and broadcast interviews. “One, Britain makes more money than any other country in Europe from fishing. Two, Britain has the second largest quota for fish in Europe after Denmark. Three, Britain has the third largest landings. Four, you are no fisherman’s friend.”

Mr. Farage said of the counterprotest, according to the BBC, “As a spectacle, I think it is pretty disgraceful.”

“What multimillionaire Mr. Geldof did was to show his absolute contempt for the men and women who have come here from right across the U.K. asking, demanding, to be listened to as their communities are destroyed by the common fisheries policy,” he said.

Thirty fishing vessels left port at dawn, arriving in London around 11 a.m., and were soon met by Mr. Geldof and the “In” demonstrators.

The flotillas circled each other just as Prime Minister David Cameron was taking the last round of questions from members of Parliament before the referendum, scheduled for June 23. Some lawmakers and staff members watched the flotilla from Westminster’s ornate balconies.

A version of this article appears in print on , on Page A10 of the New York edition with the headline: A Noisy Naval Battle Over ‘Brexit,’ Drifting on the Thames. Order Reprints | Today’s Paper | Subscribe